The role of training to innovate in SMEs

The objective of this paper is to analyze the role of training to improve the knowledge required to innovate in SMEs. In particular, this research integrates the theoretical approaches of human resource management and knowledge management to focus on how training can be critical to articulate the organizational knowledge assets necessary to innovate. To achieve that objective, an empirical study was carried out on 139 SMEs and the main conclusion is that training per se has a negative effect on the innovative capacity of SMEs. Only when training interacts with the knowledge assets of the firm does its effect become positive and highly significant.